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Last month, I posted about joining a CSA as a way to eat healthy and still try to save money. Obviously, there are still items you need to pick up at the store that you can’t get from a CSA, but sometimes it can be hard to find good deals if you have specialty items (organic, gluten-free, kosher, etc.) you’re looking for.

I know I can score great coupon deals if I am willing to hit up several stores in a week, but sometimes I don’t have the time or energy to visit one store, let alone several. One day I was looking for the cheapest way to buy some castile soap, and I stumbled across a website called Thrive Market, and I have been really excited about every since. I wanted to do a Review of Thrive Market and try to evaluate if the savings are really there!

Here is my review of Thrive Market:

Thrive Market claims that you will never have to pay retail prices again while shopping on their site. Here’s a basic overview of how it works:

You will receive 15% off on your first order (right now there is a code for 25% off).

You get free shipping on an order over $49.

After your free trial ends, if you love Thrive, you can join for $59.95 for a 1-year membership. In the FAQ section on the website, when asked if the membership is truly worth the fee, here is Thrive’s reply:

“In our humble opinion, absolutely! At average discounts of 35% to retail, with just $110 worth of purchases on Thrive Market, you will have made back your initial membership fee. That means that if you’re an average American family of four, buying just 25% of your monthly groceries at Thrive Market will pay back your membership fee in under one month.”

Here are some perks I love:

You earn money to spend at Thrive if a friend signs up through your referral link.

I have seen several times where Thrive will offer freebies that automatically get added to your cart if you place an order.

They keep adding new products all the time. We're thrilled about the huge selection of pet products that were just added!

Thrive sends out recipes and articles that are really helpful. They just sent out new recipes including a vegan Chocolate-Covered Frozen Bananas and shared articles about the power of bone broth and about oil pulling. These are topics I was excited to read about!

Ok, so it sounds great, but what are the prices really like and how do they compare to the items you might already be buying in the stores or with coupons? I tried to combine some of my shopping needs with those of some of my friends who also have specialized dietary needs. Here is a comparison of 20 items you can find on Thrive. I compared to Wegmans, a place where you can find anything, and Aldi, a place that's always affordable and expanding their specialty diet selection. Aldi either did not have all of the items or did not have them searchable on their website.

Item

Thrive

Wegmans

Aldi

32 ounce bottle of Bragg Liquid Aminos

$5.95

$7.99

16 oz bag of tortilla chips (blue or yellow corn) gluten free

$3.95 (.25/oz)

$2.69 (.17/oz)

Simply Nature 9 oz bag $1.69 (.19/oz)

Sea salt:

26 oz pouch, coarse

26 oz Hain, fine

$5.65

$2.05

15.2 oz $5.99

$2.19

Gluten Free Soy Sauce (Tamari)

20 oz

$3.95

10 oz

$2.99

Organic Sesame Oil 12.7 oz

$5.25

$8.99

Item

Thrive

Wegmans

Aldi

Organic Coconut Sugar 16 oz

$4.65

4.99

Purity Farms Ghee

13 oz

$10.95 (.84/oz)

7.5 oz

$7.49 (.998/oz) ($1.00/oz)

Barbara’s Puffin Cereal (non-GMO), peanut butter

$3.95

$3.99

Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar, organic, raw, unfiltered, 16 oz

$2.95

$3.99

Annie’s shells and cheese

$1.95

$1.65

comparable item no longer available

Item

Thrive

Wegmans

Aldi

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats, Old Fashioned,

32 oz

$5.45

$6.49

Arrowhead Mills Baking Mix, All Purpose, Gluten Free, 28 oz

$5.65

$6.99

Live G Free, 16 oz, 2.79

Lundberg Family Farms Rice White Basmati California

2 lb, $5.45

4 lb, $7.99

various rices, not exact match

TruRoots Green Lentils, Sprouted, Organic

10 oz

$4.45

$5.19

Organic/Natural Peanut Butter, 16 oz

$4.45-$4.95

$4.99

Natural, not organic, $1.69

Item

Thrive

Wegmans

Aldi

Quinoa-plain, red

Near East Mix

16 oz, $6.70

$2.15

7 oz, $2.99

$2.49

Fit & Active Mix, $1.89

Quinoa Pasta, 8 oz

Brown Rice Pasta, 16 oz

$2.45

$2.95

$2.99

$3.49

(Spaghetti, not other noodles) $1.89

Dr. Bronner’s unscented castile liquid soap

16 oz, $6.45

32 oz, 11.99

Pirate’s Booty, 4 oz bag

.5 oz bags

$2.65

12 count, $6.45

$2.99

24 count, $6.99

Spectrum Coconut Oil, organic, unrefined, 15 oz

$7.95

$8.99

New, Simply Natural, 14 oz, $4.99

Overall, I think that like any grocery store, Thrive has some amazing deals and also has some items which you can get for less money somewhere else. When I factor in the free shipping to my home on a purchase of over $49, the freebies they offer most of the time, and the occasional percent off deal, I think that I’ll probably being using Thrive as part of my shopping habits for some time to come. Even in scenarios where the price is close, sometimes you can’t beat the convenience, and in some ways, you must be saving on your own gas. Savings in your time can be important as well.

You’ll have to take a minute and explore Thrive on your own as well. Depending on your eating and shopping needs, it might be an even better fit or it might not be for you.

If you would like to sign up for a free trial, so you can explore the website, and maybe even try a shopping trip, you can visit Thrive here. Right now you should be able to get a freebie and try 25% off your first purchase. Happy Shopping!